Boots up, runs fine, then shuts down w/o warning

Robin'Hood · 12-26-2008, 11:14 PM

I've been digging through forums for a few days now, and I can't find the solution to my problem. My home built computer will boot up just fine, windows loads, and I get to my desktop. After an amount of time (which changes with each boot up, sometimes a few minutes, sometimes only a few seconds) it will shut off as if the cord was pulled out of the wall. I've taken it apart and put it back together a few times now, and every plug is in place, every fan spins, but I still have the same problem. This computer worked fine for the past year, it only recently began doing this. I've checked the switch on the front and on the psu (the psu being my prime suspect), and all the other 'duh' problems. If anyone has run into this before, please let me know what you did to fix it. Tubes don't fail me now!

Specs:
PSU - Rosewill RX950-S-B
CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 2.66
RAM - G.Skill DDR2 800
Mb - Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L
Video - Geforce 8400GS

Tumbleweed36 · 12-27-2008, 04:40 AM

I would start by checking the temps and voltages in the bios. How long since you cleaned the dust bunnies out of this rig with a can of compressed air?

Robin'Hood · 12-27-2008, 09:41 AM

It's been dusted up and down, I usually do that every month or so to avoid any fan blocking. I've reset the bios on the mb, but I usually can't hold the bios screen for very long before a shut off. Will try though, but could they have changed or reset randomly? or perhaps with a software update?

**grimx133** · 12-27-2008, 10:14 AM

Get the temps and voltages first, it doesn't take very long, so you should have time before it shuts down.

It may not be conclusive, so you should also see if you can borrow a power supply to test with. Something in the 500 watt or higher range.

If it is heat, you are going to need some thermal paste, might keep that in mind too, if you don't have any handy.

Tumbleweed36 · 12-27-2008, 11:45 AM

Want to try something? Take the side of the case off and put a fan blowing directly on the CPU and fire it up and see if it stays on longer. That might tell us if it is temps, but not always.

**magnethead** · 12-27-2008, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tumbleweed36

Want to try something? Take the side of the case off and put a fan blowing directly on the CPU and fire it up and see if it stays on longer. That might tell us if it is temps, but not always.

of course, simple answer is always BIOS temps. But forced induction is usally a close second ;)

12-26-2008, 11:14 PM	#1 (permalink)
Robin'Hood Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 2 OS: Xp	Boots up, runs fine, then shuts down w/o warning I've been digging through forums for a few days now, and I can't find the solution to my problem. My home built computer will boot up just fine, windows loads, and I get to my desktop. After an amount of time (which changes with each boot up, sometimes a few minutes, sometimes only a few seconds) it will shut off as if the cord was pulled out of the wall. I've taken it apart and put it back together a few times now, and every plug is in place, every fan spins, but I still have the same problem. This computer worked fine for the past year, it only recently began doing this. I've checked the switch on the front and on the psu (the psu being my prime suspect), and all the other 'duh' problems. If anyone has run into this before, please let me know what you did to fix it. Tubes don't fail me now! Specs: PSU - Rosewill RX950-S-B CPU - Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 2.66 RAM - G.Skill DDR2 800 Mb - Gigabyte GA-P35-DS3L Video - Geforce 8400GS

12-27-2008, 04:40 AM	#2 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 19,642 OS: XP Professional	Re: Boots up, runs fine, then shuts down w/o warning I would start by checking the temps and voltages in the bios. How long since you cleaned the dust bunnies out of this rig with a can of compressed air? __________________ ---------- I don't receive email notifications of replies to subscribed threads. (Internet provider policy) Therefore, if I don't respond to your post within 24 hours, please send me a reminder PM and include the link to your thread.

12-27-2008, 09:41 AM	#3 (permalink)
Robin'Hood Registered User Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 2 OS: Xp	Re: Boots up, runs fine, then shuts down w/o warning It's been dusted up and down, I usually do that every month or so to avoid any fan blocking. I've reset the bios on the mb, but I usually can't hold the bios screen for very long before a shut off. Will try though, but could they have changed or reset randomly? or perhaps with a software update?

12-27-2008, 10:14 AM	#4 (permalink)
grimx133 Mentor Hardware Team Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Canada eh Posts: 3,137 OS: xp mce sp2, xp pro sp2, windows 7 beta My System	Re: Boots up, runs fine, then shuts down w/o warning Get the temps and voltages first, it doesn't take very long, so you should have time before it shuts down. It may not be conclusive, so you should also see if you can borrow a power supply to test with. Something in the 500 watt or higher range. If it is heat, you are going to need some thermal paste, might keep that in mind too, if you don't have any handy. __________________

12-27-2008, 11:45 AM	#5 (permalink)
Tumbleweed36 Asst Manager Hardware Join Date: May 2005 Location: USA Posts: 19,642 OS: XP Professional	Re: Boots up, runs fine, then shuts down w/o warning Want to try something? Take the side of the case off and put a fan blowing directly on the CPU and fire it up and see if it stays on longer. That might tell us if it is temps, but not always. __________________ ---------- I don't receive email notifications of replies to subscribed threads. (Internet provider policy) Therefore, if I don't respond to your post within 24 hours, please send me a reminder PM and include the link to your thread.